Liam Payne dad, Geoff, has paid tribute to his son at the hotel where he tragically died in Argentina as he looked at the floral tributes and letters for his son
Liam Payne’s father paid his final respects to his son at the hotel where he tragically died.
The late singer’s father, Jeff Payne, was surrounded by mourners as he paid his final respects to the former One Direction star. The police were called following “reports of aggressive behaviour by a male in the hotel, possibly under the influence of alcohol or drugs”.
Liam is said to have fallen from a height of approximately 13-14 metres and suffered “very serious, non-life-threatening injuries”. Police said the music star’s hotel room was in “total disarray” and “various items had been broken”.
In an official statement to the Associated Press, Argentine police said the father of one “jumped from the balcony of his room” and denied allegations of an apparently accidental fall or foul play. Local media reports said Liam was under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Shortly before his death, hotel staff made a frantic emergency call requesting “urgent” help.
Geoff and Karen Payne “rushed” out of their home in Wolverhampton, England, at around midnight when news of Liam’s death reached them. Following the tragic news, Liam’s family said in a statement: “Liam will live forever in our hearts and we will never forget his kind, funny and brave soul.
We support each other as much as we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this terrible time.” Liam’s One Direction bandmates added: “We are absolutely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing and although we will all have more to say in time we are now going to take time to grieve and come to terms with the loss of our brother who we loved so dearly.
“The memories we shared with him will stay with us forever. At this time our thoughts are with his family, his friends and the fans who loved him along with us. We will miss him so much. We love you, Liam.” Liam’s ex-girlfriend Cheryl Tweedy, with whom he has a seven-year-old son, Bear, also shared her grief.
She said it broke her heart that her son Bear may grow up and see his father being “exploited” when he is older. Following the news of Liam’s death, American gossip site TMZ published a photo of Liam’s body after the fall. The site was heavily criticised for the decision, with some calling it “terrible”. The Girls Aloud singer said: “What worries me most is that Bear will one day have access to the salacious reporting and media exploitation that we have witnessed over the last two days.”
Her statement came after Payne’s girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, said: “I am completely at a loss after his death.”
“Nothing has felt real these last few days,” she said in a post on her Instagram Story.
“Liam my angel you mean everything. I want you to know that I loved you unconditionally and completely. I will love you forever. I love you Liam.”
Meanwhile, music mogul Simon Cowell said he was “absolutely devastated” after Liam’s death, adding that he also felt “heartbroken” and “empty”.
Payne rose to fame alongside Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Harry Styles when X-Factor creator Cowell brought them together to form One Direction on the ITV talent show in 2010.
“Every tear I shed is a memory of you,” he wrote in a statement on Instagram.
The 65-year-old music industry mogul said his son Bear “would be so proud of all you’ve achieved and how you’ve achieved it.”
Payne first auditioned for “X-Factor” in 2008 at age 14, singing Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon.” Judge Cowell advised him to join the talent show two years later.
In 2010, he was sent to the bootcamp stage of the competition along with four other solo candidates (the group that would later become One Direction) after impressing the judges with his rendition of Michael Bublé’s “Cry Me a River”.
“When you were 14, I had to say it wasn’t time yet and we promised to meet up again. A lot of people would have given up. You didn’t,” Cowell said.
He also said Payne visited him last year, where he “reminisced about the good times we had together”.
“After you left, I remembered you still being the kind, lovely boy I knew so many years ago,” he added.
This comes after Horan became the latest bandmate to release a moving tribute, saying he would “forever cherish every moment” he spent with Payne.
Payne was spotted dancing at Horan’s show at Movistar Arena with his girlfriend Cassidy in Argentina about two weeks ago.
“I feel so blessed to have met him recently, and unfortunately, I didn’t know that after saying goodbye and holding him that night, it would be saying goodbye forever. “We are heartbroken,” Horan wrote.
Payne’s other band members also shared emotional condolences on social media, while the band said in a joint statement they were “completely devastated” and that Payne will be missed “greatly.” The autopsy report noted that “the memories we shared with him will remain with us forever.”
According to the autopsy report, the singer died from multiple traumatic injuries and “internal and external bleeding.”
Following the reports, Argentina’s National Criminal and Penitentiary Prosecutor’s 16th Office announced that the case was under investigation as an “undetermined death.”